Automatic latch for gates.



J. A. MOALLISTER.

AUTOMATIC LATCH FOR GATES.

APPLICATION FILED $112129, 1914 FHE NORRIS PETERS Co. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHING roN, D. r:

JOHN A. MGALLISTER, OF MADISON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

AUTOMATIC LATCH FOR GATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1'7, 1914.

Application filed September 29, 1914. Serial No. 864,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. MoALLIsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Lake, State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Latches for Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in an automatic latch for gates, doors and other closures.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide a latch of this character which is designed to be operated from a foot pedal or similar device, so that it is unnecessary to use the hands in the operation of opening the gate.

Still a further object of my invention is i the provision of a latch which may be operated from opposite sides of the gate.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a latch of such construction that when the gate is pushed in closed or latched position energy will be restored to automatically open the gate when the latch is released by the pedal.

It is also my purpose to provide a latch of this type which will embody in its construction the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and reliability, which may be quickly and readily applied to any well known form of gate or door, which may be operated with facility, and which may be manufactured and marketed at a relatively low cost.

\Vith the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 3 is a view in side elevation showing the" latch in released position. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on. the line 44 of I Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blankfrom which the casing of the latch is made. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the latch bolt.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates a portion of a swinging gate or door, while B indicates the gate or door post. Fastened to the swinging gate A is a keeper plate- 1, which is preferably in the nature of a flat rectangular piece of metal and projects across the space between the adjacent edges of the gate A and the post B, as shown in Fig. 1.

My improved latch is indicated as an entirety by the letter C and comprises a casing 2 which is formed from a metal blank which is shown in detail in Fig. 5. As will be seen by reference to said figure. this blank comprises a rectangular sheet of metal having approximately V-shaped slots 3 cut adjacent the corners thereof. The blank is adapted to be folded along the long tudinal lines 1 and the transverse lines 5. and thence the flaps or ears 6 are bent inward. as will be readily understood. The result is that the casing-is formed with a top wall 7. a bottom wall 8. front wall 9 and the rear wall 10.

The bottom wall 8 is provided with slots 11- for the purpose hereinafter described. a tongue 12 lying between these slots and having a perforation 13 therein through which a bolt or screw may extend to secure the casing to the post B. The front wall 9 of the casing is formed with an approximately U-sha ed slot 14 from wh ch extends a slot- 15. Likewise the rear wall 10 of the cas ng has a U-shaped or channel slot 16 and a longitud nal slot 17 communicating therewith. The latch bolt is shown at 18 and is formed of a strip of metal comprising a substantially rectangular tail section 19, a widened intermediate section 20 and a reduced bolt head 21. This head is formed by cutting and bending the metal to form the lateral flanges 22 which terminate at their inner ends in the shoulders 23 of the forward end of the widened portion 20 of the bolt. A small car 24 is cut from the material of the body of the bolt and bent outward at an angle for the purpose hereinafter described. A relatively long screw 25 passes through the opening 26 in the casing.

and assists in securing the casing to the post BL This bolt 25 also passes through the central. portion of the holding member 27,. andthu s forms a pivot for the latter. This holding member, as will be seen, comprises a hook head member 28 and a relatively long shank 29, the shank being long enough to extend longitudinally of the casing and through the elongated slot sections 15 and 17 in the front and rear walls of the casing. A spring 30 is coiled about the pivot screw 25, and the end 31 of this spring bears against and contacts with the ear 2 1 of the latch bolt. The holding member has attached thereto as at 31, one end of a rope, chain or other flexible connection 32, the latter being connected at its lower end to the branch ropes, chains or other flexible connections 83 which run through the slots 11 in the bottom wall of the casing and diverging are connected at their lower ends to foot pedals 3 1-, pivoted as at 85 at opposite sides of the gate.

from the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of employing my invention will be readily apparent.

When the latch has been applied and the gate is closed, the parts are as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, that is to say, with the head 28 of the hook member 27 engaging with the keeper plate 1, while the latching bolt 18 is in its rearmost position, and in this connection it will be noted that the head 21 of the latching bolt lies in the U-shaped slot 14: in the front wall of the casing. It

will further be seen that in latched position,

the keeper plate 1 contacts with the terminal of the bolt head 21 of the sliding bolt. N ow, should a person desire to open the gate, it is only necessary to press down upon one of the foot pedals 34, and this will pull down upon the flexible connection 33 attached to the end shank of the holding member. This will lift the hook member 27, causing the hook head 28 to move upward away from the keeper plate 1 and at the same time the forward pressure of the spring end 81 against the ear 24-. will cause the sliding latching bolt to move forward, thus pushing against the keeper plate and springing the gate open, the latching bolt and the parts now assuming the position shown in Fig. 3 with the head of the latching bolt reaching itsmaximum distance beyond the front wall of the casing, and with the end 28 of the hook27 resting slidably upon the lateral flanges 22 of the bolt head 21. As the gate moves toward its closed position, the keeper plate 1 strikes the bolt head 21 and the hook end 28 drops over the keeper plate 1, thus once more locking the ate.

c It will be noted that I have provided an exceedingly simple, yet efiicient form of latch which, when operated by the footwill cause the gate to fly open, so that should a person be carrying bundles "orthe like, it. is

not necessary to deposit" the-bundles in order to use the hands to open the gate. Likewise, in the closing of the gate, it is simply necessary to push the same to closed or shut position, and the parts will automatically latch, and at the same time energy is restored in the spring to open the gate when again released by means of the foot pedal. Furthermore, it will be noted that as the casing of my latch has the bolt slots cut in both ends thereof, and reversed relative to each other, the latter may be made a right hand or a left hand latch by simply removing the hook member and the sliding bolt therefrom and turning the same around or reversing them to conform to the side of the gate to which it is desired to fasten the latch.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, 1 wish it to be understood that 1 do not confine myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: i

1. In an automatic latch, the combination with a casing adapted to be attached to a suitable support, said casing having a slot in one wall thereof, a sliding bolt having a head section extending through the slot, a pivoted holding member located within the casing and having a head projecting through the slot, a keeper plate adapted to be attached to a swinging closure adapted to extend across the slotted wall of the casing and to be held by the holding member when in latched position, and foot operated means for releasing the holding member and folding the sliding bolt outward against the keeper plate to open the closure.

2. In an automatic latch, the combination with a casing adapted to be attached to a support, said casing having an elongated slot formed in one wall thereof, of a bolt sliding within the casing and having a head portion projecting through a portion of the slot, a holding member pivoted within the casing and having a head portion project-. ing through a portion of the slot, a keeper plate adapted to be attached to a swinging closure, said keeper plate being adapted when in latching position to lie across the slotted wall of the casing and in contact with the head of the sliding bolt, said keeper plate being retained in latched position by the head of the holding member, a flexible connection attached to the holding member, pedals connected with the flexible member for actuatingthe latter to release the holding member, and means for forcing the sliding bolt forward against the keeper plate when theholding member is released.

8; The combination with a casing having slots in the opposite end walls thereof, of a sliding bolt located within the casing and having a head adapted to project through a portion of one of the slots, a holding member pivoted within the casing and having a hooked head projecting through a portion of the slot above the head member of the sliding bolt, a keeper plate adapted to be attached to a swinging closure, the free end of said keeper plate being designed to lie across the slot in the casing and in front of the sliding bolt head and to be held by the hooked head of the holding member when in latched position, a flexible member attached to the holding member, foot pedals 5 sliding bolt outward against the keeper 20 plate to open the swinging closure.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my slgnature, 1n the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. MCALLISTER.

Vitnesses:

C. H. OW'ENS, SADIE ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

